LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




013 704 087 6 



Hollinger 

pH8.5 

Mill Run F3-1955 







SPEECH 

OF S 

(REM. AKTHTO C. BTOAT, 

Delivered at ROSEUILL CEMETERY, May 31s/, 1S70. 

At tho dedication of the Monument erected to the Soldiers of the Bridges Battery of the Army 
of the Cumberland who fell daring the War of the Rebellion. 



General Ducat upon being introduced by Captain 
White, the Pres't of the Bridges' Battery Association, 
spoke as follows : 

I have been asked by some of my friends — survivors 
of Bridges Battery of the Army of the Cumberland 
— to come here to-day and say a few word;? at the dedi- 
cation of the monument erected here to the memory of 

fallen heroes. 

It is with sentiments of the deepest emotion that I, 
in my humble way, briefly address you and attempt to 
perform the duty for which I have been unexpectedly 
detailed. 

It is the first time I ever addressed a public assem- 
blage, but I do not shrink from the task, conscious as I 
am that, in reciting the history of this brave Battery, 
and alluding to the noble and valorous deeds of those 
whose ashes are here with us, my words will command 
the attention of every true American who reveres the 
memory of his national dead. It has become rather the 
habit of our countrymen to make eulogistic orations at 
the tombs of their friends ; I shall not attempt to do so 
any further than it is necessary to do simple justice to 
their memories. It would not become us, on this occa- 
sion, to indulge in eulogies which would be distasteful 
to the modest but earnest soldiers who sleep here, could 
they hear us from their grave*. We commit them, with 
all their errors, their sudden and perhaps unexpected 
death, to the mercy of their Creator. We will keep 
their memories dear and precious to us, and their fame 
and their glory ever green and bright, among us and 
our children. This is the purpose for which this beau- 






as 



tit'ul monument — surmounted by the statue of Hope, 
inscribed with the fields of their fame, decorated with 
the arm of their service, and surrounded by their graves 

— lias been erected. 

We have convened here to-day from all the Bur- 
rounding country, from the great city, from all occupa- 
tions and walks of life, to dedicate to good, brave and 
patriotic soldiers this tribute erected by surviving 
comrades and grateful and appreciative citizens. AVe 
are here this lovely, peaceful day in May, in this beau- 
tiful City of the Dead, in the center of this happy, 
prosperous, and at last, thank God, free country, to 
strew flowers on the graves of men, our respect for 
whose memories this act so touchingly, beautifully, and 
tenderly illustrates. AVe come to do all that is now 
left us to do, to pay these memorial tributes to those 
who have so freely given their young lives that we may 
enjoy in peace and happiness the blessings which God 
has so lavishly bestowed upon this favored laud — who 
have given themselves a sacrifice to true liberty, that 
every blot should be removed from the national escut- 
cheon — who left their families, friends, and all who 
were dear to them : their peaceful and happy homes — 
who abandoned their prospects and aspirations in life, 
without promise or hope of reward — to face death and 
the hardships and horrors of war; that our country, 
with out a blemish, might be left to us intact as we 
received it from the hands of its Fathers, purified by 
time and the inarch of human progress. 

They went to assert and demonstrate to the world 
that our Republic was no vain and empty boast, and, 
as the result to-day, we are at peace with all nations. 
The flag of this our country, now truly emblematic of 
freedom, and more than ever before the emblem of a 
nation created, defended and preserved by its valor and 
its integrity, floats under every sky, honored by all who 
love the free institutions and government it represents 5 
feared but unassaile 1 by all who oppress and enslave. 



It would gratify me exceedingly to-day to tell you 
of the life of each and every one of the body of brave 
souls who fell in Bridges Battery and whose names are 
here inscribed — to recite a detailed history of the com- 
mand — but the time given me will only permit of a 
comparatively hasty and brief notice. * I would like to 
be able to tell you how gallantly and well each man 
did his duty in the place where each belonged. 

To-day we have to do only with the dead. We 
have not come to hear of or speak of the living, and 
should I mention any living man it will be for the 
purpose of making the history of the Battery understood 
more clearly and in the proper connection with circum- 
stances. 

Bridges Battery, or rather the company from which 
it was ultimately organized, was enlisted about the 
time of the first attack on Fort Sumter, as a company 
of engineer soldiers, sappers and miners. It was fore- 
seen that in a great war, which was to every thinking 
mind inevitable, a company of this kind was a necessity 
of the volunteer service. This company, composed of 
men well qualified for the duties of engineer troops, 
was tendered first to the Executive of Illinois, and then 
daily for weeks to the general government, but was 
refused by both in the capacity offered. Such troops, 
much worse qualified for engineer soldiers, were subse- 
quently organized by regiments and brigades in all our 
armies. Some of the men then enlisted as soldiers in 
regiments going to the front. The company, as an organ- 
ization, attached itself to and formed "G" company of 
the Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, under Colonel Turchin, 
but subsequently commanded by the lamented Scott. 

In July, 1861, Crossly and Thornton, of the company, 
were killed in the performance of assigned duty. 

The company, with its regiment, served under Gener- 
al Fremont, and was subsequently ordered to the Army 
of the Potomac. This order was countermanded by 
Providence. Some chivalric sympathizers at Huron, 



Indiana, having tampered with a railroad bridge, pre- 
cipitated the train, with the regiment on board, down 
sixty feet, killing Sealock, Brattstown, Cutting, and 
Noble, and injuring fifty Others of the company. This 
necessitated the return of the regiment to Cincinnati for 
re-equipment. In the meantime it became necessary to 
reinforce General Robert Anderson, in Kentucky, and 
the Nineteenth was assigned to General O. M. Mitchell's 
division, and served in all the marches and actions of 
General Buell's army up to the time General Rosecrans 
took command. Captain Bridges, in command of the 
company at this time, was detailed to assist the Chief 
Engineer of the army at Nashville. Field-artillery being 
needed, the company was selected to form a battery, 
being provided with the only available guns, some cap- 
tured at Forts Donelson and Zollicoffer, and in one week 
the company had the guns mounted, and in position, in 
the defences of Nashville, the officers and men applying 
themselves to their new duty in a manner that demon- 
strated immediately that no error had been made in 
their detail as artillery. On the 14th of February, 1863, 
the company received its order from the War Depart- 
ment to organize a six-gun field battery, and had the 
maximum number of men in a few weeks. Marching 
from Nashville to Murfreesboro, constant and judicious 
drill and industry soon made the battery one of the best 
equipped and most efficient commands in the volunteer 
service. 

The battery was assigned to the Pioneer Brigade 
(an engineer corps), but, desiring more active service, 
at the request of its officers, it was assigned to the 
Second Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps, com- 
manded by Major General Geo. II. Thomas, the noblesl 
Roman of them all — the model soldier and good man. 
They served with this corps in the brilliant movement 
on Tullahoma, across the the Cumberland Mountains, 
Tennessee River, the Sand and Raccoon Ranges, in the 
action at Dug Gap, and (lie battle of Chicamauga. 



In those days that tried the souls of our truest and 
our best, this batten*, with the grand old Army of the 
Cumberland, was true to itself, doing its duty bravely 
and well, losing twenty-six men — six killed, six wounded 
and fourteen captured, with forty-six horses. Here, in 
the battle of the 20th of September, fell the gallant 
Lieutenant Bishop, fighting his guns to the last;, even 
until the enemy was in his battery and on his flanks, and 
bavonetting his men, did he fire his guns, double-shotted, 
and fell dead at his post. No braver soldier sleeps. 
Here also fell the brave men — 'Ferris, Hammond, Haas, 
and Tenneson ; all fighting and serving their guns, they 
met their death in the very teeth of the enemy. The 
battery here brought off four of its guns by hand, the 
horses having been killed, and held its position until 
ordered by General Thomas to fall back. 

On the 21st, under Major General Geo. H. Thomas, 
the battery did its duty. 

At the battle ot Mission Ridge, the battery did most 
important and gallant service, £and was mentioned by 
General Thomas in his official report. It occupied 
Orchard Knob, in advance of our main line. In the 
first day's operations, in six hours after daylight, fourteen 
guns had been driven out of the enemy's first line of 
works, and their entire artillery had retreated to the top 
of the ridge. The signal of six guns, for the grand 
charge upon Mission Ridge, was fired by this battery, 
which maintained its position until the close of the bat- 
tle. The long and arduous winter campaign in East 
Tennessee, to reinforce General Burnside, was com- 
menced on the 27th day of November, 1863. The bat- 
tery was constantly marching, and always ready and 
willing for duty. The men suffered great privations in 
this campaign, from cold, exposure and want, but they 
Buffered without a word of complaint. Here was sown 
the seed for the grave for more than one of their 
number. 

The battery served at Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost, 



6 

Resao.i, Adairsville, Kingston, and Cassville. At the 
latter place Captain Bridges was made Chief of Artillery 
of the Fourth Army Corps. The battery, under com- 
mand of Lieutenant Temple, distinguished itself at Mt. 
Hope Church, and other places, and, under Lieutenant 
White, won an imperishable reputation at Pine Mount- 
ain and Kenesaw Mountain. At the last mentioned 
battle fell the gallant Lieutenant S-eborn, working his 
section at short range against the artillery of the enemy, 
the battery silencing more than twice its number of guns. 

At Chattahoochie River the battery did splendid ser- 
vice, destroying the pontoon bridge of the enemy by its 
accurate and rapid practice, and receiving the compli- 
ments of General Thomas — and those of us here who 
have been soldiers of his army know well that, with his 
rigid uprightness, he never bestowed a compliment un- 
less it was well deserved. Here Hathaway was killed in 
battle. At Peach Trej Creek and Atlanta, the battery 
did good service, and was again complimented by Gen- 
eral Thomas. At Franklin the battery was thrown into 
the salient angle of our lines, with little protection, and 
maintained its position during the entire battle. Atone 
period the advance of the enemy was fifty yards in rear 
of the position, with the guns of four batteries and 
Opdyke's Brigade, in which was the Eighty-eighth Ill- 
inois, and on its flank the Seventy-second Illinois, our 
own gallant men. Due attention was paid to the brave 
brigade of the enemy — it never rejoined its comrades. 
The enemy lost thirteen general officers on this afternoon. 
It was a crushing defeat to Hood. 

At the battle of Nashville the battery was again in 
action, retaining the reputation that distinguished it 
throughout the war. Having taken an honorable part 
in thirty engagements and traveled 20,000 miles in the 
-service, the battery was mustered out in July, 18G5. 
Returning to Chicago, the citizens gave it a reception 
worthy of its deeds and its fame. 

The names of the honored dead are inscribed on this 



_-/ 



monument and on the tablets which surround it. It is 

proper here that I should mention poor Brown, Avho for 
three days, with a broken leg, at Andersonville prison, 
received no surgical aid and died. Here also poor 
Henriifer pined and died. 

It has been said that republics are ungrateful. The 
nature of our government is such, that without the con- 
sent of our own people, through their representatives, 
sufficient expenditures for the support of wounded sold- 
iers and sailors, widows and orphans of soldiers and 
sailors, cannot be made, but we have evidence to-day, 
in these beautiful monuments we are here to dedicate, 
that the hearts of our people are right, and that appeals 
to them in any way that may be necessary to honor 
the dead or comfort those they left behind, and the 
wounded soldier or sailor, will never be in vain. Let us 
hope that your voices will be raised in behalf of those 
left crippled and homeless, but not friendless, by our 
wars, and that the good and generous will do in this 
respect their duty as promptly and nobly as did the sold- 
iers and sailors for their sakes. I commend them to 
your generous sympathies. 

There is a grave of one of our bravest and best with- 
in the enclosure of this Cemetery unmarked. I hope 
that when we assemble here one year from to-day, a 
fitting monument will be erected to his memory. It is 
the grave of the lamented General Ransom. 

After these dedications of to-day, and in the future 
on this Anniversary, in honoring our dead, we know no 
Company, no Regiment, no Brigade, no Division, no 
Corps, no Army, no State, no Birthplace — all were sold- 
iers of the Republic who died for it — we honor all alike. 

There is to me something exceedingly touching in 
this annual decoration of the Soldiers graves with flow- 
ers, by loving hands. 

I am sure it makes us all better men and women to 
come here once a year and place wreaths of evergreens 
and blossoms on the mounds that surround us, emblem- 



LIBRAE 




IK. i lit* LUNURE 



013 704 087 i 

atie of those higher, immortal crowns which we earnest- 
ly hop,* and believe our departed friends have attained. 
I know it touches me deeply, and in a wayunfelt to the 
same extent until the clay comes around again, and re- 
minds me, as we'll as all of us, that what we now enjoy 
has not been without its price. 

Such acts of ours foster and nourish the military 
spirit of our young men. They teach them that to be 
a soldier of the Republic of the United States, is not to 
be forgotten when they fall in the path of their duty ; 
and, to be practical, in a country like ours, where the 
military establishment is so limited, it is necessary that 
something be done to keep alive a true soldierly feeling. 
One of the greatest incentives to its achievement is the 
knowledge that brave and meritorious acts and services 
are appreciated and acknowledged. 

It must be a very great consolation to the relatives 
and friends of the soldiers who sleep around us, that 
their remains have been gathered to this pleasant place 
where they can come and hold with them the sweet 
silent converse of memories of the past. 

To those whose loved and lost sleep in unknown 
graves, on the bloody fields of the national contests, by 
the roadside, on the mountains, in the swamps, and 
wild ravines of the South, I would say, be consoled 
that they died and were buried like soldiers when thev 
fell. 

"On Fame's eternal camping ground 
Their silent tents are spread, 
Anil glory guards with sol, '11111 round, 
The bivouac of the dead." 

Our noble dead have awakened to another morn 
than ours. May their morn have brightened into per- 
fect day. May they look down gratefully to-day upon 
those who have raised this modest homage to their 
memories. May they look down with pleasure upon 
those who bear or inherit their honor and their name 

And may we, as a people, be thankful for the age in 
Which it has pleased providence to east our lot, and for 
the country of which we are citizens, men and women. 




013 704 087 6 < 



Hollinger 
pH8.5 
Mill Run F3-19i 



L1BRA RY OF CONGRESS 




013 704 087 6 



Hollinger 

pH8.5 

Mill Run F3-1 955 



